Porch and step forming system and method

ABSTRACT

A system for forming a concrete porch and steps comprises a reusable metal corner porch form and a plurality of reusable metal straight porch forms, which may have different lengths. Parallel planar abutments of the straight forms are shaped and sized to abut one of the first and second planar abutments of the corner porch form. Each form has fastener-receiving holes through which fasteners are inserted to fasten and immobilize the forms during the concrete pouring and setting. The system includes a plurality of step-forming stringers each having a horizontal member and a pair of spaced-apart polygonal risers affixed to the horizontal member wherein each riser has a plurality of fastener-receiving holes for fastening the stringers during the concrete pouring and setting.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the construction of concrete porches and steps and, more particularly, to reusable metal forms for pouring concrete porches and steps.

BACKGROUND

Conventionally, a concrete porch and its associated steps are poured using wooden forms. Wooden forms, however, are time-consuming to assemble and disassemble, thus increasing labor costs. The wood forms are typically not reusable and thus must be discarded afterwards, which is wasteful and not environmentally friendly.

Reusable metal forms for steps and porches are known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,595 (Brown). The metal porch forms disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,595 include metal panels that have upper and lower flanges in which there are disposed intermittently spaced apertures. The panels are assembled together using vertical pins that fit through the apertures in the upper and lower flanges. The step forms include horizontal stringers having intermittently spaced apertures and trapezoidal risers. The stringers are pinned to the risers using pins. The system of U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,595 has a limited number of configurations. Furthermore, the system of U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,595 is time-consuming to assemble and disassemble not only because of the large number of pins but also because the apertures must be properly aligned before inserting the pins.

An improved porch and step forming system is thus highly desirable to address the deficiencies of the prior art.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of some aspects or embodiments of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some embodiments of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

Disclosed herein is a novel and inventive porch and step forming system and method useful for constructing concrete porches and associated steps. The system and method employ reusable metal forms having abutting surfaces that are assembled in a modular fashion to constitute a formwork into which concrete is poured. The reusable metal forms may be rapidly assembled and disassembled using fasteners. The reusable metal forms reduce the amount of wood that is traditionally wasted when constructing concrete porches and steps.

Accordingly, one inventive aspect of the present disclosure is a porch forming system for pouring a concrete porch. The system includes a reusable metal corner porch form having a pair of adjacent internal, substantially smooth concrete-forming surfaces that adjoin to define a corner, wherein the corner porch form comprises a first planar abutment and a second planar abutment that is angled relative to the first planar abutment and wherein the corner porch form comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes through which fasteners are inserted to fasten and immobilize the corner porch form during concrete pouring and setting. The system also includes a plurality of reusable metal straight porch forms, each straight porch form comprising an internal, substantially smooth concrete-forming surface and a pair of parallel planar abutments, wherein the parallel planar abutments are shaped and sized to abut one of the first and second planar abutments of the corner porch form, and wherein each straight porch form comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes through which fasteners are inserted to fasten and immobilize the straight porch form during the concrete pouring and setting.

Another inventive aspect of the present disclosure is a system for forming a concrete porch and steps. The system includes a reusable metal corner porch form having a pair of adjacent internal, substantially smooth concrete-forming surfaces that adjoin to define a corner, wherein the corner porch form comprises a first planar abutment and a second planar abutment that is angled relative to the first planar abutment and wherein the corner porch form comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes through which fasteners are inserted to fasten and immobilize the corner porch form during concrete pouring and setting. The system further includes a plurality of reusable metal straight porch forms, each straight porch form comprising an internal, substantially smooth concrete-forming surface and a pair of parallel planar abutments, wherein the parallel planar abutments are shaped and sized to abut one of the first and second planar abutments of the corner porch form, and wherein each straight porch form comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes through which fasteners are inserted to fasten and immobilize the straight porch form during the concrete pouring and setting. The system further includes a plurality of step-forming stringers each having a horizontal member and a pair of spaced-apart polygonal risers affixed to the horizontal member wherein each riser has a plurality of fastener-receiving holes for fastening the stringers during the concrete pouring and setting.

Another inventive aspect of the present disclosure is a method of forming a concrete porch. The method involves fastening a reusable metal corner porch form by attaching fasteners via a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes and fastening a plurality of reusable metal straight porch forms via a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes, wherein the meal corner porch form and the plurality of straight porch forms abut to define an assembled formwork. The method then entails pouring concrete into a space within the assembled formwork and, after the concrete has set, disassembling the formwork by removing the fasteners from the corner porch form and the straight porch forms.

Yet another inventive aspect of the present disclosure is a method of forming a concrete porch and steps. The method entails fastening a reusable metal corner porch form by attaching fasteners via a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes and fastening a plurality of reusable metal straight porch forms via a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes, wherein the meal corner porch form and the plurality of straight porch forms abut to define an assembled formwork. The method also entails fastening a plurality of step-forming stringers each having a horizontal member and a pair of spaced-apart polygonal risers affixed to the horizontal member wherein each riser has a plurality of fastener-receiving holes. The method then involves pouring concrete and, after the concrete has set, removing the fasteners from the corner porch form, the straight porch forms and the risers of the step-forming stringers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a corner porch form in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a first side view of the corner porch form.

FIG. 3 is a second side view of the corner porch form;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a straight porch form in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the straight porch form.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a step-forming stringer that is part of a step form in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a side view of a polygonal riser that is part of the stringer.

FIG. 8 is a depiction of two straight porch forms having abutting surfaces.

FIG. 9 is a depiction of the two straight porch forms abutting together after assembly.

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of one example of an assembly of porch forms.

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of another example of an assembly of porch forms.

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of another example of an assembly of porch forms.

It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein is a novel and inventive porch and step forming system and method useful for constructing concrete porches and associated concrete steps. As will appreciated, in one set of embodiments, the system and method may be used to construct a porch and its associated steps or step. In another set of embodiments, the system and method may be used to construct just the porch. In yet another set of embodiments, the system and method may be used to construct just the steps or even just a single step.

The system and method employ reusable metal forms to reduce construction time and associated labour costs. The reusable metal forms may be rapidly assembled and disassembled using fasteners, e.g. screws. The reusable metal forms furthermore significantly diminish the amount of wood that would otherwise be wasted when constructing concrete porches and steps using traditional all-wood forming systems.

As will be described in greater detail below, the forms are modular in nature because of their planar abutting surfaces that enable the forms to abut each other in any desired combination of forms. Due to the planar abutting surfaces of the forms, the forms may be assembled quickly in a modular fashion to constitute a formwork of any suitable dimensions.

A porch forming system for pouring a concrete porch in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes at least one corner porch form and a plurality of straight porch forms.

The corner porch form depicted by way of example in FIGS. 1-3 is a reusable metal corner porch form. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-3, the reusable metal corner porch form 10 has a pair of adjacent internal, substantially smooth concrete-forming surfaces 12, 14 that adjoin to define a corner 16. The corner porch form 10 comprises a first planar abutment 18 and a second planar abutment 20 that is angled relative to the first planar abutment 18. The corner porch form 10 comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes 22 through which fasteners (e.g. threaded fasteners such as screws) are inserted to fasten and immobilize the corner porch form 10 during concrete pouring and setting. In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1-3, the first planar abutment and the second planar abutment are orthogonal. The fasteners may be used to fasten the forms to any suitable substructure be it made of wood or metal or any other suitable material.

The porch forming system also includes a plurality of reusable metal straight porch forms 30 depicted by way of example in FIGS. 4-5. Each straight porch form 30 has an internal, substantially smooth concrete-forming surface 32 and a pair of parallel planar abutments 34. The parallel planar abutments 34 are shaped and sized to abut one of the first and second planar abutments of the corner porch form. Each straight porch form 30 includes a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes 36 through which fasteners are inserted to fasten and immobilize the straight porch form 30 during the concrete pouring and setting. In some embodiments, the plurality of straight porch forms are of different lengths.

In the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 4-5, each straight form 30 comprises a first (lower) vertical portion 40, an angled portion 42, a second (upper) vertical portion 44 and an L-shaped lip 46 attached (e.g. welded) to the second vertical portion 44.

In some implementations, the angled portion is angled at 30-35 degrees. In one very specific implementation, the angled portion is 32 degrees. It will be appreciated that the angle may be varied for other purposes or to achieve other results.

In one specific implementation, the straight form has a thickness of 0.25 inches. The thickness may be varied for other purposes or to achieve other results.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 4-5, the first vertical portion has a height greater than that of the second vertical portion.

In some embodiments, the porch forms are made of aluminum.

For most situations, it is beneficial to coat the internal concrete-forming surface with a release agent to facilitate removal of the forms after the concrete has set.

In accordance with another set of embodiments, the system may be used for forming both a concrete porch and associated concrete steps. Such a system comprises a reusable metal corner porch form, as described above, having a pair of adjacent internal, substantially smooth concrete-forming surfaces that adjoin to define a corner, wherein the corner porch form comprises a first planar abutment and a second planar abutment that is angled relative to the first planar abutment and wherein the corner porch form comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes through which fasteners are inserted to fasten and immobilize the corner porch form during concrete pouring and setting, a plurality of reusable metal straight porch forms, each straight porch form comprising an internal, substantially smooth concrete-forming surface and a pair of parallel planar abutments. The parallel planar abutments are shaped and sized to abut one of the first and second planar abutments of the corner porch form. Each straight porch form comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes through which fasteners are inserted to fasten and immobilize the straight porch form during the concrete pouring and setting. The system further comprises a plurality of step-forming stringers. A stringer 50 is illustrated in FIG. 6. The stringer of FIG. 6 has a horizontal member 52 and a pair of spaced-apart polygonal risers 54 affixed to the horizontal member. An example of a riser is depicted in FIG. 7. Each riser in this depicted embodiment has a plurality of fastener-receiving holes 56 for fastening the stringers during the concrete pouring and setting. The horizontal member 52 may have a profile similar to that of the porch forms, i.e. in some embodiments, each stringer comprises a lower vertical portion 58, an angled portion 60, an upper vertical portion 62 and an L-shaped lip 64 attached (e.g. welded) to the upper vertical portion.

In some embodiments, as shown by way of example in FIG. 6, the lower vertical portion has a height greater than that of the upper vertical portion.

In some embodiments, as shown by way of example in FIG. 6, the angled portion is angled at 30-35 degrees. In a specific implementation, the angled portion may be angled at 32 degrees. It will be appreciated that this angle may be varied to achieve to different objectives or design requirements.

In some embodiments, the stringer has a thickness of 0.25 inches although this dimension may be varied.

Further aspects of the present invention relate to a method of fabricating a concrete porch and a method of fabricating a concrete porch and associated steps.

In accordance with one set of embodiments, a method of forming a concrete porch entails steps of fastening a reusable metal corner porch form by attaching fasteners via a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes and fastening a plurality of reusable metal straight porch forms via a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes. The meal corner porch form and the plurality of straight porch forms abut to define an assembled formwork. Porches of different lengths may be construed by assembling forms, which may be of different individual lengths, in a modular fashion to provide the desired dimensions. The forms have planar abutting surfaces to enable the forms to abut smoothly with each other so that they are flush against its adjacent or neighbouring form. FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 schematically depict the adjoining of two (straight) forms 30 having mutually abutting surfaces 18, 20. Once abutted, the forms provide a substantially leak-free seal or joint 19 through which concrete does not flow. The method further entails pouring concrete into a space within the assembled formwork and after the concrete has set, disassembling the formwork by removing the fasteners from the corner porch form and the straight porch forms. The method optionally includes placing rebar (steel reinforcement bars) into the space prior to pouring the concrete.

The method may involve assembling a plurality of differently sized straight porch forms to provide a desired size of the porch. FIGS. 10-12 depict various examples of different porches that are formed using the modular form system described above. These are merely a few examples to illustrate the versatility of the modular forming system. In each of these figures, a porch 4 is poured beside a house (foundation) 2 or other such dwelling or structure. FIG. 10 shows a plurality of straight forms 30 and a single corner form 10. FIG. 11 shows a different set of forms being used to pour a differently sized porch. FIG. 12 shows a formwork having two corner forms 10 and a plurality of straight forms 30. As will be appreciated, and as noted above, these are merely a few examples to illustrate the modularity of the system. The step forms have been intentionally omitted for the sake of simplicity.

The method may further comprise coating an internal concrete-forming surface of the porch forms with a release agent.

The method may be used to fabricate not only a porch but also a porch and associated steps. The method of forming a concrete porch and steps entails fastening a reusable metal corner porch form by attaching fasteners via a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes and fastening a plurality of reusable metal straight porch forms via a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes, wherein the meal corner porch form and the plurality of straight porch forms abut to define an assembled formwork. The method further entails fastening a plurality of step-forming stringers each having a horizontal member and a pair of spaced-apart polygonal risers affixed to the horizontal member wherein each riser has a plurality of fastener-receiving holes. The method further entails optionally inserting rebar, pouring concrete and, after the concrete has set, removing the fasteners from the corner porch form, the straight porch forms and the risers of the step-forming stringers.

It is to be understood that the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a form” includes reference to one or more of such forms, i.e. that there is at least one form. The terms “comprising”, “having”, “including”, “entailing” and “containing”, or verb tense variants thereof, are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of examples or exemplary language (e.g. “such as”) is intended merely to better illustrate or describe embodiments of the invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed.

While several embodiments have been provided in the present disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed systems and methods might be embodied in many other specific forms without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The present examples are to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, and the intention is not to be limited to the details given herein. For example, the various elements or components may be combined or integrated in another system or certain features may be omitted, or not implemented.

This invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, implementations and configurations which are intended to be exemplary only. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, having read this disclosure, that many obvious variations, modifications and refinements may be made without departing from the inventive concept(s) presented herein. The scope of the exclusive right sought by the Applicant(s) is therefore intended to be limited solely by the appended claims. 

1. A porch forming system for pouring a concrete porch, the system comprising: a reusable metal corner porch form having a pair of adjacent internal, substantially smooth concrete-forming surfaces that adjoin to define a corner, wherein the corner porch form comprises a first planar abutment and a second planar abutment that is angled relative to the first planar abutment and wherein the corner porch form comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes through which fasteners are inserted to fasten and immobilize the corner porch form during concrete pouring and setting; and a plurality of reusable metal straight porch forms, each straight porch form comprising an internal, substantially smooth concrete-forming surface and a pair of parallel planar abutments, wherein the parallel planar abutments are shaped and sized to abut one of the first and second planar abutments of the corner porch form, and wherein each straight porch form comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes through which fasteners are inserted to fasten and immobilize the straight porch form during the concrete pouring and setting.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first planar abutment and the second planar abutment are orthogonal.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of straight porch forms are of different lengths.
 4. The system of claim 1 wherein each straight form comprises a first vertical portion, an angled portion, a second vertical portion and an L-shaped lip attached to the second vertical portion.
 5. The system of claim 4 wherein the angled portion is angled at 30-35 degrees.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein each straight form has a thickness of 0.25 inches.
 7. The system of claim 4 wherein the first vertical portion has a height greater than that of the second vertical portion.
 8. The system of claim 1 wherein the porch forms are made of aluminum.
 9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a release agent coated on the internal concrete-forming surface.
 10. A system for forming a concrete porch and steps, the system comprising: a reusable metal corner porch form having a pair of adjacent internal, substantially smooth concrete-forming surfaces that adjoin to define a corner, wherein the corner porch form comprises a first planar abutment and a second planar abutment that is angled relative to the first planar abutment and wherein the corner porch form comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes through which fasteners are inserted to fasten and immobilize the corner porch form during concrete pouring and setting; a plurality of reusable metal straight porch forms, each straight porch form comprising an internal, substantially smooth concrete-forming surface and a pair of parallel planar abutments, wherein the parallel planar abutments are shaped and sized to abut one of the first and second planar abutments of the corner porch form, and wherein each straight porch form comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes through which fasteners are inserted to fasten and immobilize the straight porch form during the concrete pouring and setting; a plurality of step-forming stringers each having a horizontal member and a pair of spaced-apart polygonal risers affixed to the horizontal member wherein each riser has a plurality of fastener-receiving holes for fastening the stringers during the concrete pouring and setting.
 11. The system of claim 10 wherein each stringer comprises a lower vertical portion, an angled portion, an upper vertical portion and an L-shaped lip attached to the upper vertical portion.
 12. The system of claim 11 wherein the lower vertical portion has a height greater than that of the upper vertical portion.
 13. The system of claim 12 wherein the angled portion is angled at 30-35 degrees.
 14. The system of claim 13 wherein the stringer has a thickness of 0.25 inches.
 15. A method of forming a concrete porch, the method comprising: fastening a reusable metal corner porch form by attaching fasteners via a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes; and fastening a plurality of reusable metal straight porch forms via a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes, wherein the meal corner porch form and the plurality of straight porch forms abut to define an assembled formwork; pouring concrete into a space within the assembled formwork; and after the concrete has set, disassembling the formwork by removing the fasteners from the corner porch form and the straight porch forms.
 16. The method of claim 15 comprising assembling a plurality of differently sized straight porch forms.
 17. The method of claim 15 further comprising coating an internal concrete-forming surface of the porch forms with a release agent.
 18. A method of forming a concrete porch and steps, the method comprising: fastening a reusable metal corner porch form by attaching fasteners via a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes; and fastening a plurality of reusable metal straight porch forms via a plurality of spaced-apart fastener-receiving holes, wherein the meal corner porch form and the plurality of straight porch forms abut to define an assembled formwork; fastening a plurality of step-forming stringers each having a horizontal member and a pair of spaced-apart polygonal risers affixed to the horizontal member wherein each riser has a plurality of fastener-receiving holes. pouring concrete; and after the concrete has set, removing the fasteners from the corner porch form, the straight porch forms and the risers of the step-forming stringers.
 19. The method of claim 18 comprising assembling a plurality of differently sized straight porch forms.
 20. The method of claim 18 further comprising coating an internal concrete-forming surface of the porch forms with a release agent. 